Garment-hanger



Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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GARMENT-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,929.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lVARNER R. BUXTON, acitizen of the United States of America, residing in Springfield, in thecounty of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Garment-Hangers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in garment hangers.

More particularly, it relates to hangers of the type which are foldableinto compact form, such as is disclosed in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 5359, filed February 1, 1915.

Garment hangers of the type alluded to comprise, in general, a centralunion having integral spaced ears between which a supporting hook isrigidly fastened. On either side of the hook and also between the earsare garment supporting arms, which are pivoted to the central union,and, when in unfolded position, are supported by the abutment of thearms with the bottom of the union. In order to permit the hanger to befolded compactly in the present invention, the pivoted garmentsupporting arms are each made with a plurality of sections successivelyconnected one to the other. These sections are all arranged in the sameplane and in the plane of the shank of the supporting hook and, whenfolded together, lie parallel with the shank of the hook. By suchconstruction, the hanger may be folded compactly into substantiallyrectangular form.

An object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger of the classdescribed having an improved joint or connecting means between thefoldable sections of the pivoted garment supporting arms by the use ofwhich joint my garment hanger will fold up in the desired .manner andcost little to manufacture.

This improved garment hanger comprises, in general, a central union witha hook portion attached and to which foldable garment supporting armsare pivoted, the latter being connected one to another by a U-shapedmember having spaced ears between which the ends of two sections or armsto be joined substantially abut. Each section is pivoted to the spacedears and, when unfolded to form a continuous garment supporting arm, isarranged to abut the bottom of the union.

hen the hanger is to be folded, the connection described permits twosections so joined to be folded one upon the other in parallel andabutting relation in the same plane, thus making a flat hanger of smallcompass. To further reduce the size of the hanger as folded, the partsare preferably made of metal of narrow width.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of myinvention is shown for the purpose of illustration, Figure 1 is anelevational view of a coat hanger, showing my invention as appliedthereto; Fig. 2 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1, showing theparts of the hanger in folded position; Fig. 3 is an end elevation ofFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on an en larged scale showing indetail my improved connection between the foldable sections; Fig. 5 is aplan view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a trousers hanger,show ing the application of my invention thereto; Fig. 7 is a partialplan view of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6, showing theparts of the hanger in folded position; Fig. 9 is an end elevation ofFig. 8; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the sectionspartially folded together; and Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional View ofthe con nection between the foldable sections.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive: 1 represents a U-shaped central union and 2 a suitablesupporting hook, the shank of which extends entirely through the union 1and between the spaced upstanding ears thereof. The hook is rigidlysecured 'to these cars by a rivet 12. Pivotally connected to the unionat 11 on either side of the hook 2 are garment supporting arms 3, whichalso lie between the spaced ears. Each of these arms is made up of aplurality of sections, such as 4 and 5, to per mit the hanger to befolded into small compass.

The sections 4 and 5 lie in the same plane and are connected together byan improved device which will now be described. The ends of the sections4 and '5 to be joined are rounded and substantially abut, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4:. These ends lie between and closely fit a pair ofspaced upstanding ears of a U-shaped connecting piece 6 to which thesections 4: and 5 are pivotally secured at 7 and 8, respectively. Nearthe prick punch applied on the outside of the The projection 13materially assists in the proper folding of the sections 4 and 5 uponone another since it limits the relative movement between either arm andthe U-shaped piece to ninety degrees. Since each of the sections 4 and5, when properly folded re quire a movement of substantially ninetydegrees relative to the U-shaped piece 6, the plositive limitation tothis movement provided by the projections 13 prevents any possibility ofbinding. For example, in Fig. 10 the outer section 5 is partially foldedwith respect to the section 4, and a slight additional movement of thesection 5 will cause the upper edge thereof to engage the projections13. Further turning of the section 5 will now positively turn theU-shaped piece 6 until the two arms are in parallel relation.

Without such a projection or its equivalent, the U-shap.ed piece 6 wouldbe turned primarily by a binding action between the two sections 4 and5.

It is to be noted that, when the sections 4 and 5 are in unfoldedposition, as shown in Fig. 4, the bottom of each section abuts thebottom of the U-shaped piece, whereby the two sections are rigidly heldagainst further relative rotation. Preferably, the sections 4 and 5should have diiferent inclinations, as shown in F 1g. 1, to permit thesections, when unfolded, to approximate the curvature of the garment tobe supported. To permit this condition, the bottom of the U-shaped piece6 may be dished upwardly a slight amount in the central portion, asshown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows the hanger with the parts unfolded to form a skeletongarment hanger. The arms .3, comprising the foldable sections 4 and 5,form, when unfolded, rigid garment supporting arms. The latter, when notin use, may be folded to bring the parts into the compact substantiallyrectangular flat form, shown in Fig. 2. Each section 5 is turned on itspivot 8, and the member 6 is turned on the pivot 7 until the section 5overlies the section 4 in abut-ting and par allel relation. The foldedsections 4 and 5 are then turned on the pivots 11 until they he parallelwith the shank of the ilOOk'Q, and until one edge of each section 5abuts the shank of the hook. It is to be noted that the upper portion ofthe hook 2 is off set (see Fig. 3) to permit the sections 4 and 5 to befolded therebehind and a large noninterfering hook portion to be used.Thus, the shank of the hook- 2 and the sections 4 and'5 all lie in acommon plane, and one end of each of the sections 4 and 5 lies betweenthe'spaced ears of the central union 1.

Fig. 6 shows a trousers hanger, wherein my improved oint is applied. Thegeneral structure of the hanger is identical with that shown in Fig. 1except that the outer folding sections of the arms 3 are replaced bytrouser supporting sections 9. Fig. 7 shows a plan View of one of thesesections, wherein it will be seen each section 9 has an integralextension 1.0, which is bent backwardly upon itself in spaced andsubstantially parallel relation. Trousers or skirts may be supported bythis hanger by passing the ends thereof between the portions 9 and 10,the latter portion having sufficient spring action to grip the garment.The connection between the sections 4 and 9 is identical with thatalready described, and the parts fold together in a similar manner intothe compact form shown in Fig. 8. It will be noticed from Fig. 9 thatthe upper portion of the hook 2 in this instance is ofiset to he betweenthe planes of the portions 9 and 10.

Thus, I have provided a simple device for connecting the fold-ablesections of a garment hanger, which permits the sections so joined to befolded one upon the other in abutting and parallel relation.

It is understood that various modifications may be made in the structureheretofore described without departing from the scopesof my invention,which is defined in the .appended claims.

What I claim is 1. Agarmenthanger, comprising, a'union formed with twospaced plates, an upstanding hook portion attached centrallyto theunion, foldable arm-s pivoted between the plates and at the ends of theunion, each arm having an outer portion, a U-shaped member within whichthe arm and its outer portion is pivoted in substantially abuttingrelation, all constructed and arranged so that said arms may be foldedinto parallel relation in the same plane as the shank of the hookmember, whereby certain ends of the arms will be received within thespaced plates of the union and the U-shaped member will cover the otherends of the arms to form a flat. compact hanger.

2. A garment hanger, comprising, a U- shaped union, an upstanding hookportion fastened transversely between the walls thereof, foldable armspivoted between the walls of said union near the ends thereof, each ofsaid arms arranged to swing through an arc of substantially 90,beinglimited by the stops provided by the bottom of the union and said hook,an outer portion for each armpivo-tally connected thereto by a U-shapedlink which embraces the adjacent endsof the arm and its outer portion,said portion arranged to swing through an arc of substantially 180 withrespect to its arm, a stop provided on said link adapted for engagementby either of the connected portions to turn the link and preventbinding, all constructed and arranged so that the arms may be foldedinto adjacent and parallel relation with the hook portion in a singleplane between the walls of said union.

3. A metal garment hanger, comprising, a union, made up of flat metalbent in U shaped form, a fiat upstanding hook arm, the shank of which isfastened transversely and centrally between the walls of the union, saidhook arm having an offset upper portion bent into a relatively largehook of a width about equal to the length of the union, a flat foldablearm at each end of the union with its inner end pivoted between thewalls of the union near the end thereof, the pivotal movement of eacharm being limited by the bottom wall of the union and said hook, and atthe outer end of each arm a fiat foldable portion pivotally connectedthereto by a U-shaped flat link within the walls of which the adjacentends of the arm and foldable portion are pivoted for movement, limitedin one direction by the bottom walls of the link and in the other by astop on the link intermediate its pivots, all constructed and arrangedso that the arms may be folded into the same plane between the walls ofthe union with the offset hook portion arranged flat against said armsor folded into spread out position to support a garment.

4:. A foldable garment hanger comprising a central union made up of flatmetal bent in U-shaped form, a fiat upstanding hook arm, the shank ofwhich is fastened transversely to and centrally between walls of saidunion, said hook arm having an offset upper portion bent into arelatively large hook of a width equal to the length of the union, afiat foldable arm at each end of the union with its inner end pivotedbetween the walls of the union near the end thereof, said arm beinglimited in movement by the side of said hook and the bottom wall of theunion, and at the outer end of each arm a fiat foldable portionconnected thereto by a U-shaped flat link within the walls of which theadjacent ends of the arm and foldable portion are pivoted for movement,limited in one direction by the bottom walls of the link and in theother by a stop on the link intermediate its pivots, said stop disposedon the interior walls of said link and arranged to limit the movement ofeither the arm or foldable portion relative thereto to 90, allconstructed and arranged so that the arms may be folded into the sameplane between the walls of the union with the offset portion of the hookportion arranged flat against said arms or folded into spread outposition to support a garment.

5. A garment hanger, adapted to be folded into thin, flat and compactform, comprising in combination, a fiat upstanding hook arm, a centralunion made of flat metal bent to form upstanding ears spaced apart justsufficiently to receive said arm therebetween, the latter being rigidlysecured to and arranged centrally and transversely between the saidspaced ears, a fiat foldable arm at each end of the union with its innerend pivoted between the ears near the ends thereof, the pivotal movementof each arm being limited by the bottom wall of the union and said hook,and at the outer end of each arm, a flat foldable portion pivotallyconnected thereto by a U-shaped link within the walls of which theadjacent ends of the arm and foldable ortion are pivoted for movement,limited 1n one direction by the bottom walls of the link and in theother by a stop on the walls of the link intermediate its pivots, saidhook, arms and foldable portions of equal width and thickness so thatthe arms and foldable portions may be folded into the same plane and inparallel relation with said hook between said ears, whereby the hangermay be folded into flat, thin and substantially rectangular form.

WARNER ROCKWELL BUXTON.

Witnesses:

F. G. NEAL,

H. E. HARTWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

